Republican's, far more than Democrats, seem to complain about the press having a bias in favor of the other side. Do they have a point? Lets examine how the press has covered Bridgegate versus how they covered Booker's scandal involving the Newark Watershed Development Corp.

First of all, it's possible you don't know anything, or perhaps never even heard about the scandal involving the Newark Watershed Development Project(NWCDC). Until it was ordered shut down by a judge last year, the Newark Watershed Conservation development Corporation managed the city's 35,000 acres of reservoirs and treated water for more than 500,000 customers in northern New Jersey. According to the agency's bylaws, Cory Booker, as mayor, is the agency's Chairman of the Board and is responsible for oversight.Between 2008 and 2011, the state comptroller alleges that agency leaders and insiders absconded with millions of public dollars. During that time the city paid 40.5 million dollars to the agency though two contracts.

Chris Christie is smothered with negative press from New Jersey's Star Ledger and the Asbury Park Press, not only regarding bridgegate, but other unproven allegations regarding favors in exchange for endorsements, the economy, Atlantic City's casino's going out of business, pensions, money being paid out to lawfirms,etc.....

But Cory Booker gets a free pass. For some reason the press just doesn't want to ask any questions. Such as How could you have not known what was going on when it was happening right under your nose? How could your friends and political allies think it was OK to engage in this criminal activity and abuse the power you gave them? Do you think you should be responsible for allowing this culture of corruption. Sound familiar? The press had no problems asking these questions of Governor Christie.

The matter has been referred to the FBI for investigation and we can assume an investigation is underway. Although Booker's political allies, Linda Watkins(Political Donor) and Elnardo Webster(campaign treasurer) are key figures in the investigation it is not know if Booker is even being seriously looked at as being involved in any wrongdoing. This is unlike the investigation into the GWB lane closures where it was leaked by a department of justice investigator that they had found no evidence of any Christie involvement in the lane closures.

Will the press ever begin a drum beat of questions to challenge Cory Booker? Whether it be on corruption, or the rising crime rate in Newark? Now would be very inconvenient time with the November 4th elections approaching but some would argue if Booker were a Republican that would be all the more reason to go after him.

After nine months of investigation the U.S. Department of Justice has finally admitted they have found no link to NJ Governor Chris Christie and the GWB scandal.Christie has been frequently criticized for having Gibson and Dunn, a law firm who donated to his campaign, investigate the scandal and look into whether he had any prior knowledge of the lane closures. Their findings were attacked by Democrats but now that Barack Obama's own justice department has also found no link between Chris Christie and the GWB lane closures, some of them may have a little egg on their face.Nevertheless, NJ Democrats have vowed to continue their investigation. This in spite of pleas from Christie to wrap up the investigation. Democrats point out that the federal investigation is still ongoing and have accused Christie of not turning over requested emails and not cooperating with the investigation.In spite of the fact that that the investigation is still ongoing, for the Feds to announce that they have no evidence on him also means they currently have no leads that are likely to point to him either.

Until it was ordered shut down by a judge last year, the Newark Watershed Conservation development Corporation managed the city's 35,000 acres of reservoirs and treated water for more than 500,000 customers in northern New Jersey. According to the agency's bylaws, Cory Booker, as mayor, is the agency's Chairman of the Board and is responsible for oversight.Between 2008 and 2011, the state comptroller alleges that agency leaders and insiders absconded with millions of public dollars. During that time the city paid 40.5 million dollars to the agency though two contracts.Linda Watkins-Brashear, the agency's director was a political ally and donor of former Newark mayor, now Sen. Cory Booker, wrote 60 unreported checks to herself to the tune of over $200,000, was awarded $700,000 in two severance packages, gave more than $1 million in contracts to her friends and ex-husband, and lost $500,000 in dubious stock ventures, the report states. When asked about the transactions by the state comptroller, Watkins-Brashear invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate herself, the report said. The result: Watershedgate.Elnardo Webster, who was the mayor’s friend political ally, and served as Bookers campaign Treasurer for his 2006 mayoral campaign, pocketed more 1 million dollars in legal fees between 2007 and 2011 from. He signed off on no-bid contracts and allowed resolutions to be passed with approval from 3 members instead of the 7 that are required.Here is an official summation of the report.

State Comptroller report finds absence of oversight led to abuse of funds at Newark Watershed Corporation

A State Comptroller Report found Watershed executive director, Watkins-Brashear, wrote checks to herself, authorized risky investment activity without Board approval. The findings are being referred to the Attorney General’s Office.

An Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) investigation released today finds that the now-defunct Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation (NWCDC) operated free from any meaningful oversight, fostering an environment that allowed the agency’s executive director to write unauthorized payroll checks to herself, hand out no-bid contracts to close personal associates, and surreptitiously authorize risky investment activity in an ccount that lost more than $500,000 in public funds.

The City of Newark delegated the management of its water assets to the NWCDC through service contracts worth roughly $10 million a year. The NWCDC Board voted to dissolve in March 2013 at an emergency meeting held a week after OSC conducted interviews that uncovered the unauthorized check writing and investment activity undertaken by its executive director, Linda Watkins-Brashear. At that same meeting, the NWCDC Board of Trustees granted Watkins-Brasheara severance package worth more than $450,000, even though evidence indicates Watkins-Brashear was not entitled to such a large payout because she resigned. It was the second severance package the NWCDC granted Watkins-Brashear. She received a $200,000 payment in 2006 when she left the NWCDC for a three-week period during which she continued to get paid.Only three members of the NWCDC’s Board of Trustees were present for the votes to dissolve the agency and grant Watkins-Brashear her second severance 2 package. The Board had been approving resolutions with only three members since October 2011. The NWCDC’s Articles of Incorporation require the Board to maintain between seven and 11 Trustees. OSC’s investigation found that significant oversight failures on the part of the NWCDC Board of Trustees, its hired professionals and the City of Newark all contributed to the abuse of public funds detailed in the report. For example, OSC found: • The Board of Trustees approved the improper payout to the executive director and failed to implement policies that would have set limits on the executive director’s authority to issue checks or award contracts. • NWCDC’s hired professionals failed to fulfill basic oversight responsibilities. NWCDC’s accountant, for example, failed to meet a contractual responsibility to properly review invoices and set up a system of financial controls. The accountant also knew that Watkins-Brashear was issuing payroll checks to herself and yet did not take any action. NWCDC’s general counsel, meanwhile, failed to ensure that the Board complied with its Articles of Incorporation, such as when it operated without the minimum number of trustees. • The City of Newark awarded the NWCDC no-bid service contracts between 2008 and 2011 and then failed to properly supervise those contracts. City officials also failed to compel the NWCDC to submit required documents essential for oversight, such as minutes of NWCDC Board meetings and annual audited financial statements. The City’s mayor, designated to serve as chairman of the NWCDC Board, had not sent a representative to a Board meeting since at least May 2010http://www.nationalreview.com/article/374899/how-cory-bookers-friends-made-out-bandits-eliana-Johnsonhttp://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=2068

"When a government entity decides to delegate an essential service to a vendor, it still maintains the responsibility to monitor that vendor and ensure that the public’s money does not get wasted. This report documents an egregious and yet preventable abuse of public funds that was allowed to continue unfettered for years because of poor oversight," OSC Chief of Staff Melissa Liebermann said. Acting State Comptroller Marc Larkins is recused from this matter. Much of that abuse of public funds involved actions taken by Watkins-Brashear, OSC found. For example, OSC’s review of financial records from 2008 to 2011 showed that Watkins-Brashear signed nearly 70 checks to herself, worth more than $200,000. NWCDC could not provide adequate documentation or justification for those checks. OSC also found that Watkins-Brashear had authorized high-risk margin trading in NWCDC’s brokerage account since 2007, without board approval. Specifically, in February 2007 Watkins-Brashear signed an agreement expanding the investment account to include trading that involved the borrowing of funds to make securities trades. The account ultimately lost more than $558,000, or approximately 65 percent of its value, while an account broker executed hundreds of purchases and sales while earning commissions and fees. OSC’s review of select NWCDC procurements found Watkins-Brashear awarded millions of dollars in no-bid contracts for various services without Board approval. Among them were contracts to her ex-husband and both current and former NWCDC employees. "Our review determined that the executive director of the Watershed Corporation handed out a series of no-bid contracts to vendors with whom she had a personal or pre-existing relationship," said OSC Procurement Director Karen Shelton. "The facts suggest that those vendors received the contracts based on their relationship with the executive director." For example, the OSC report raises questions about a series of contracts, worth more than $330,000, awarded to two firms owned by Watkins-Brashear’s ex-husband to perform interior design work at NWCDC facilities. In some instances, Watkins-Brashear paid her ex-husband before he actually performed the work in question and also made the checks payable to her ex-husband and not the company, OSC found. Another vendor received hundreds of thousands of dollars for landscaping work despite having had no prior experience in the field. The vendor, who later became an NWCDC employee, told OSC he had met Watkins-Brashear while working on a political campaign where "buzz" had been circulating about NWCDC handing out contracts. The vendor said he created his company in 2008 so he would be prepared to obtain those contracts and that he purchased landscaping equipment only after the contracts had been awarded to him. OSC’s investigation also found numerous questionable expenditures incurred by NWCDC’s executive office, such as a reimbursement for a $1,410 dinner tab for 20 people - during the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City - that included lobster, margaritas and cognac. OSC also identified petty cash reimbursement checks totaling $23,700 that were issued to an individual who was not an NWCDC employee. The individual received the payments as compensation for running various errands for Watkins-Brashear, such as cashing checks and picking up the newspaper, OSC found.

Michelle Nunn said that 25000 veterans are deprived of healthcare coverage. But 25000 veterans are not deprived of healthcare coverage. They simply have to pay for it themselves. These veterans don't meet the income threshold required by the VA and thy don't meet the income threshold required under medicaid if it were not expanded. If they do meet the income requirements under expanded medicaid they can purchase healthcare under Obamacare and be eligible for credits. They should be eligible for to have a high percentage paid by credits if they would have met the income threshold under expanded medicaid. ~Joe Porter

Rand Paul appeared on a Kentucky television called One to One, which aired this past Sunday. He was asked to tell the audience what word came to his mind when he heard Chris Christie. Paul responded by saying bridges. An obvious reference to the bridgegate scandal.When asked what came to his mind when he heard the name Cory Booker, he said affable, and tries to get beyond partisanship.Christie and Paul have been fueding for over a year now. Back in July of 2013 Christie said This train of libertarianism that’s going through both parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought. … You can name any number of people and he’s [Rand Paul] one of them,” . Paul responded by saying Christie is wrong to be trashing Libertarians and plenty of conservatives are concerned about both security and privacy rights.Rand Paul struck back saying that Chris Christie has embraced Obamacare and was one of the few Republican Governors to expand medicare under the Affordable Care Act and he did not consider this to be a fiscally conservative thing to do. Christie responded by saying he is no fan of Obamacare but he thought he had to to do what was fiscally and healthwise best for his state.Both are considered likely to run for the Republican nomination for president. Paul seems to be the front runner in the polls. That includes polls for the Republican nomination and polls that show how well they would do against Hillary Clinton in a head to head match-up. He only has a slight lead on Governor Christie who has a small edge on Jeb Bush. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

Back in January, President Barack Obama was quoted as saying this when referring to the need to be concerned about ISIS:‘The analogy we use around here sometimes and is accurate is if a JV team puts on Laker uniforms, that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant. Prompting this response from Cnn's Jake Tapper. How badly did resident Obama underestimate it, the threat of ISIS?” Isis began as an off shoot of Alqaeda in Iraq(AQI) in 2006. AQI was essentially part of the Sunni insurgency. Most of these terrorists came from other nations and their activities were separate from the Iraqi Sunnis. Their terrorist activities aimed at getting the Sunnis and the Shiites into a civil war. In 2007, Due to the U.S. surge and cooperation from Iraqi Sunnis who turned and help us fight the terrorists, relative peace was brought to Iraq. When the civil war broke out in Syria they took advantage of it. They formed a militia and were able to take over many cities in Syria, which they still hold.In June, after Barack Obama downplayed their threat, they began to sweep through many cities in Iraq and have even threatened Bagdad. When they first started to sweep through in June, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Maliki, asked the U.S. for Air support. Barack Obama said the U.S. would not be getting involved unless Iraq solved its political problems and were fair to the Sunnis. "So this should be a wake-up call. Iraq’s leaders have to demonstrate a willingness to make hard decisions and compromises on behalf of the Iraqi people in order to bring the country together. In that effort, they will have the support of the United States and our friends and our allies." ~ Barack Obamahttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/13/statement-president-iraq

Fox News Broadcast from 5 months before ISIS invaded Iraq

Meanwhile, these terrorist are rampaging through cities of Iraq, massacring Christians in Iraq and causing them to flee. They have also attacked the Kurds, who occupy the North east region of Iraq. The Kurds have been our allies and have been largely independent and not involved in any sectarian violence that has occurred in Iraq since the Iraq war began in 2003. Many of them are not even Muslim. They have been forced to flee to the mountains where they face starvation, dehydration and the elements. On August 8th President Obama agreed to give humanitarian supplies to the Kurds trapped in the mountains and also conduct air strikes against ISIS forces. It was later reported that we would also supply arms to the Kurds but that the arms would have to be distributed to the Kurds by the Iraqi central government. There was some doubt as to whether this would ever occur and some pundits said we should be concerned about these weapons falling into the hands of ISIS if we arm the Kurds. Now the administration has agreed to arm the Kurds directly

As of August 10, it has been reported that 6,000 Iraqi civillians have been killed by ISIS and 40,000 Yazidis, a religious minority, have been forced to flee their homes out of fear of execution by ISIS.

Russia accuses the Ukraine of cross-border shelling and warns of 'irreversible consequenses'

Ukrainian officials denied that they fired onto Russian soil, saying that the attack may have been the work of provocateurs seeking to draw a Russian reaction.Many believe that Putin has emboldened the Russians and encouraged them to rebel by a number of his actions. The first was taking over Crimea. The Second was amassing troops on the Ukrainian border. The third was warning the Ukrainian government not to harm Russian citizens. Putin has also added that they will have no option but to send their troops in to protect Russian citizens.The Ukraine has already accused Russia of having officers assisting the rebels. Observers believe that Putin wants to annex eastern Ukraine or have an eastern section of Ukraine break off and become a pro-Russian independent republic. It is believed that he is simply looking for the right time or a good enough excuse. One excuse would be the alleged shelling that allegedly took place July 14th. Another would be violence or alleged violence against russian citizens. They could also be waiting until there is so much violence and destabilization that they must go in to bring peace to the region. Of course he can do what he can to make sure that destabilization happens in the first place. By warning the Ukraine not to harm Russian civilians he may actually be simply trying to tie the hands of the Ukrainians. If they fight the rebels too agressively they risk giving Putin the excuse he is looking for to send troops into the Ukraine. The longer this drags out the more likely it becomes that Putin will use the reasoning that he must stabilize and bring peace to the region. He would then hold some kind of an election to determine the fate of eastern Ukraine. If the Ukrainian side becomes stronger Putin may decide it's time to go in sooner. Either way way the Ukraine is in a difficult spot. Their best bet is to turn the tide of the people against the Russian rebels and defeat them through a propaganda war that would require less fighting. That would be there best chance for a positive outcome.

Some are speculating that Bowe Bergdahl was released because Obama wanted to give these 5 prisoners to the Taliban as some sort of goodwill offering in the hopes of getting something back from the Taliban - other than Bowe Bergdahl. It turns out there is some evidence to support this.The 5 Taliban prisoners are all considered dangerous by any objective measure and it seems the evidence that Bergdahl deserted his post is very strong.The administration has tried to make this seem like an obvious non-controversial thing to do.Celebrating his release with a press conference with Bergdahl's parents. Something he didn't need to do. Then trotting Susan Rice out to say that Bowe Bergdahl served with honor and distinction.Obama makes the point they we don't leave anyone behind. But that is not neccesarily true. If it's believed a soldier has deserted, there is no precedence for trading prisoners to get them released.When Charles Jenkins deserted to North Korea in 1964, we did not try to win his release. He served 40 years in a North Korean prison. After he was released he was court marshalled and served 25 days in a military prison.He said he couldn't notify congress because his health was in great danger. But to date there is no evidence of that.On July 29th 2013, It was reported by ynetnews that the .U.S released the Taliban 5 as a gesture of goodwill without insisting Bergdahl get released. So that is where the thinking that the administration wanted these people released one way or another has come from. They reported that the .U.S released them under the condition that they promise not to engage in any more terrorism. The same conditions they had when they actually did release them.

No Need to Worry. They promised not to do it again

Ultimately, the release had nothing to do with not leaving Bergdahl behind. It was a gesture of Good will to the Taliban. So when you hear Susan Rice talking about what a great soldier Bergdahl was and another White House spokesperson saying there are conflicting accounts regarding whether Bergdahl deserted when there are none, you know why.The is also a concern that the administration is going to try to fix this investigation and make sure Bergdahl gets off easy so they don't look bad.

'the title of U.S. soldier is just the life of fools.” - Bowe Bergdahl

In spite of the fact that everyone who was closest to Bowr Bergdahl believed he was a deserter he has been released and sent into active duty after spending 5 years in a Taliban prison and a few weeks in therapy in Texas.He's been interviewed several times about the circumstances of his departure. According to an anonymous army official, the questioning had to be cut short because he lawyered up. The army has yet to reach any conclusions, however the people he served with have had a lot to say.“I think it’s very clear he deserted his post,” former Army Sgt. Evan Buetow told FoxNews.com last week. “He thought about what he was doing, he mailed some things home, he walked away and we have witnesses who saw him walking away. And if you’re walking away in one of the worst, most dangerous areas of Afghanistan without your weapon and gear, I don’t believe you’re planning on coming back.”This is a quote from a Rolling Stone article where is father was interviewed saying that his son told him:“I am ashamed to be an American. And the title of US soldier is just the lie of fools,” he concluded. “I am sorry for everything. The horror that is America is disgusting.”The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at,” wrote Sergeant Bergdahl in an email later published by Rolling Stone magazine. “It is the army of liars, backstabbers, fools, and bullies. The few good SGTs [sergeants] are getting out as soon as they can, and they are telling us privates to do the same.”Bergdahl also added "The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at."Army Sgt. Evan Buetow says he heard radio chatter from the Taliban that said an American was trying to contact the Taliban.An unnamed army officer said Bergdahl does not have clearance and has twoSince his May 31, release he still has not spoken to his parents. He has sent them two letters."The US army is the biggest joke the world has to laugh at.